Rivers Hoopers drawn in Nile Conference of Basketball Africa League

Nigeria’s representative at the inaugural edition of the Basketball Africa League, Rivers Hoopers have been drawn in the Nile Conference alongside Zamalek of Egypt, Union Sportive Monastirienne of Tunisia, Mozambique’s Ferroviario de Maputo, Forces Armes et Police Basketball (FAP) of Cameroon and Patriots Basketball Club of Rwanda.

Games in the Nile Conference will tip-off on March 20 in Monastir, Tunisia.

Rivers Hoopers are among 12 teams from 12 African countries that will compete in this year’s Basketball Africa League.

Champions from national leagues in six countries – Nigeria, Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia were guaranteed a spot in the inaugural BAL season while the remaining six teams from Cameroon, Rwanda, Madagascar, Mali, Algeria and Mozambique secured their tickets through qualifying tournament.

The 12 teams have been drawn into two Conferences with six teams in each group – Sahara Conference and Nile Conference. While games in the Nile Conference will tip off on March 20, action in the Sahara Conference will dunk off a week earlier on March 13 in Dakar.

Each team will play the five opponents in their Conference in three different cities once. The top four teams in each Conference will advance to the single-elimination playoffs in Rwanda scheduled for May.

Rivers Hoopers will play their five games in Tunisia, Egypt and Lagos.

Meanwhile, official kit sponsors of the BAL Nike and Jordan unveiled jerseys for the teams during the NBA All Star Weekend held on 15 February, 2020 in Chicago.

Hoopers and five other teams will be kitted by Nike while the other six will be kitted by Jordan. The two kit sponsors will provide the teams with jerseys, warm up apparel, socks and practice gear.

Rivers Hoopers have since intensified training as they get set to participate in the inaugural Basketball Africa League.